View: West Brom youngster stakes big first-team claim with impressive FA Cup display
Slaven Bilic named a West Brom side full of youngsters and fringe players against West Ham on Saturday but they still managed to win 1-0 and book a spot in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Conor Townsend’s brilliant first-half goal was enough to seal victory for the Baggies at the London Stadium, even though Semi Ajayi’s red card meant they played the last 20-plus minutes with 10 men.
Although Townsend’s goal will be what many will talk about and the fact that Filip Krovinovic showed that he can fill in for Matheus Pereira while he’s injured, one player who really stood out at West Ham was youngster Dara O’Shea.
The 20-year-old defender, who started at right-back on Saturday, has barely put a foot wrong in his first four senior appearances for the Baggies.
Slaven Bilic handed O’Shea his Albion debut in the Carabao Cup defeat against Millwall in August and he has since played once in the league, where he helped his side draw against Brentford, before winning two matches without conceding a goal in the FA Cup.
O’Shea now, surely, deserves more of a role in the Championship to help West Brom stop conceding as many goals as they are and arrest their slump in form.
According to stats by WhoScored, O’Shea won six aerial duels at West Ham on Saturday – more than any other player on the pitch.
He also won both of the tackles he attempted, made one clearance and completed one interception as he impressed defensively.
The Republic of Ireland Under-21 international also did a superb job when he was called on to fulfil his attacking role as a full-back.
O’Shea is naturally a centre-back but it is fair to say he could give Darnell Furlong a run for his money at right-back with some marauding runs down the right flank.
O’Shea completed four dribbles – no other player on the pitch completed more – and made two key passes.
It is fair to say that this young player gets more and more impressive each time he plays.
He definitely deserves a bigger role in Bilic’s senior squad.
In other West Brom news, Rangers are in talks to sign this Baggies player.